


Thirty Minutes

by A Magiluna Stormwriter (ariestess)



Series: Strength to Try [3]
Category: Babylon 5
Genre: Bechdel Test Pass, Community: oldschoolfic, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-07-14
Updated: 2008-07-14
Packaged: 2017-10-28 05:22:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/304212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/pseuds/A%20Magiluna%20Stormwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been six months since Susan saw Talia. Will Talia be successful in taking over her mind and body again?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thirty Minutes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [newbie_2u](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=newbie_2u).



> Date: 3-4 July 2008  
> Word Count: 1855  
> Written for: [](http://oldschoolfic.livejournal.com/profile)[**oldschoolfic**](http://oldschoolfic.livejournal.com/)  
>  Recipient: [](http://newbie-2u.livejournal.com/profile)[**newbie_2u**](http://newbie-2u.livejournal.com/)  
>  Prompt: Heav'n has no rage like love to hatred turn'd / Nor Hell a fury, like a woman scorn'd  
> Summary: It's been six months since Susan saw Talia. Will Talia be successful in taking over her mind and body again?  
> Sequel to: [Hope](http://ariestess.livejournal.com/986355.html)  
> Spoilers: This takes place a couple of years after Control was discovered.  
> Warning: Established lesbian couple. Don't like it? Don't read it.
> 
> Disclaimer: “Babylon 5,” the characters and situations depicted are the property of J. Michael Straczynski, Babylonian Productions, Warner Brothers, etc. They are borrowed without permission, but without the intent of infringement. This story is in no way affiliated with "Babylon 5,” J. Michael Straczynski, the production companies, or any representatives of Claudia Christian or Andrea Thompson. This story contains content between two mature, consenting adult females.
> 
> Disclaimer 2: The title and lyrics used in the story as section breaks are from the song ["30 Minutes"](http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/tatu/30minutes.html) by t.A.T.u. The lyrics were borrowed without permission, but without the intent of infringement.
> 
> Author's Notes: I don't write for this couple often enough…And I really do adore them, especially Susan… *heh* And honestly? When I got this prompt, I giggled muchly. And while my story may not _exactly_ follow the prompt given to me, I still think it works. And I hope my recipient likes it…
> 
> Author's Notes 2: Anything in _italics_ is thought, not said. Or is a section breaker.
> 
> Dedication: my muses, as always…
> 
> Beta: [](http://laylat.livejournal.com/profile)[**laylat**](http://laylat.livejournal.com/)

  
_"thirty minutes, a blink of an eye  
thirty minutes, to alter our lives"_   


It's been six months since that fateful meeting with Talia. Six long months fraught with far too many break-neck rides on an emotional rollercoaster that I'm still not sure have been entirely worth the effort. Six long months of remembering encounters in the brief life of what would pass as our relationship before Control took over.

And yet, despite these six long months, everything boils down to the next thirty minutes. And by everything, I mean _everything_. My entire life is wrapped up in what amounts to a blink of an eye. And I've got no choice whatsoever in what happens. No matter what I do at this point, I'm damned for eternity.

It's all her fault. She never should have approached me without knowing if she could even pull this off. Once again, she's taken my heart, twisted it around her little finger, and bent me to her will. And if this doesn't work, I'll be forced to confront and bury all of these damned hopes and dreams she's dredged up.

I don't want this, damn it! I don't want to have to spend the next half an hour pondering the future of her existence, the future of _my_ existence. It's not fair, what she's asked me to do. Everything is on hold, everything on the line, no second chances. This isn't just her life, her sanity, at stake here. I can't do anything until I know one way or another.

I have her back, whole and relatively unharmed, Ironheart intact notwithstanding. Or Control retains full power over her mind and body, and I lose Talia for good. It all comes down to this one final act of what most would consider complete and utter desperation by a woman supposedly dead for the last two and a half years.

And I won't know anything until I hear from her, one way or another.

In thirty fucking minutes.

  
_"thirty minutes, to make up my mind  
thirty minutes, to finally decide"_   


In the end, it wasn't even Talia who came to me with the news of this little plan they'd finally cooked up. It was Jason Ironheart. I barely knew the man, but he seemed to know an awful lot about me. Then again, if I were sharing Talia's brain, I'd probably know a lot about me, too. He certainly intimated that I was high on her list of mental priorities.

It was hard enough to deal with the random telepathic messages from Talia, brief bursts of information while I was deeply asleep. They weren't very often, but they left me more and more disoriented as time went on. It wasn't always information she left me with; no, invariably, there were images that I really didn't need seeding my imagination. Obviously Talia was doing more than just biding her time while she was, well, biding her time.

But that's neither here nor there in the grand scheme of things, is it? If this works out, Talia will be free to return to m -- her life. And me, if she chooses. If it doesn't work out, she'll be dead. To me and everyone else. What no one else knows yet is that she won't be the only one dead. Ironheart, with all of his considerable ability, and Control herself will also be dead. Dead by my hand.

Talia forced the damned promise out of me. Logistically, it makes complete sense. If Control were to find out Talia and Ironheart still exist, it would be certain death for the two of them. And I wouldn't be too far behind. If Control learns about Talia and Ironheart hiding out in her brain, she'll know I'm involved, no matter how belatedly. No one will be safe.

At least in that, I can agree with Talia and Ironheart. Control cannot find out about this situation and remain alive. All it will take is one word, or rather the lack of that one word, in nineteen minutes and I pull the trigger. If I don't hear that one all important word in Ironheart's mental voice, I kill not only Control, but also Ironheart, Talia, and any chance I will ever have at a life. I might as well just pull the trigger a second time and join Talia in death.

  
_"thirty minutes, to whisper your name  
thirty minutes, to shoulder the blame"_   


One last look around my quarters reveals that everything of importance is packed into two cases. I think at this point, no matter what the outcome is, Babylon 5 is no longer my home. I've already given John my letter of resignation, even if he won't actually get or open it until tomorrow morning. And by that time, it'll be too late for him to do anything. I hate that I have to do this to him, after all of the years we've known each other, but--

The chime startles the hell out of me. It hasn't been thirty minutes yet. There are still twelve minutes left until the appointed time. It can't be good if she's here early. I automatically reach for the weapon on my hip, belatedly remembering that I'm no longer in uniform. Taking a slow, deep breath, I reach for the PPG I've so meticulously cleaned and trigger the intercom.

"Yes?"

"Susan, let me in." That's not Talia's voice.

"This really isn't a good--"

"I don't give a damn if it's a good time or not," he snaps back. "You're going to open this door right now, or I'll force it open."

I want to ignore his demands so badly, but years of friendship and working together preclude my ability to do even that. The PPG is still in my hand when he steps into the room, causing him to pause slightly in the threshold. Once I see the look on his face, my temporary paralysis is lifted and I return my weapon to the table again.

"John, this really isn't a good time."

"I already told you I don't give a damn if it's a good time for you or not." He thrusts a very familiar looking piece of paper in front of my face. "What the hell is this, Susan?"

"You weren't supposed to see that until the morning," I reply thickly, unable to meet his gaze.

"Well, sorry to upset your plans, but Delenn had a meeting so I went to do some work. Imagine my surprise when I found this on my desk." He pauses to take a look around my quarters, and I know the exact moment his eyes land on my suitcases. His voice is oddly gentler when he continues. "Susan, what's going on?"

"It's -- complicated," I finally admit, letting him guide me to the couch. My eyes dart back to the clock, verifying that my internal timer is correct. "John, you can't be here. You have to leave."

"Explain it to me, because I'm not leaving."

I don't know what it is, but I'll blame it on nerves and the worried insistence in his voice, because I just start running at the mouth. Everything about the last six months comes out in a babbling rush of words and emotions. And then the whole sordid history I have with Talia follows, what little there really is of it. Before I realize it's even happened, there are tears streaming down my cheeks, and he's got my head pressed to his shoulder.

"How much time is left?" he asks once I've calmed down a bit.

Glancing at the clock, I feel that sick dread writhing in the pit of my stomach. "Two minutes or so. John, please…"

"No, you're not going to face this alone, Susan."

I stand quickly despite the lightheadedness of confession, and move to pick up the PPG again. Its heft in my hand gives me a sense of bravado I can't even feel with my closest friend to back me up. "If I have to, I'll pull this trigger on you, John. I don't want to be responsible for the end of your career. Delenn would never forgive me."

"If she knew what was happening," he replies with a grim smile, "Delenn would be here, too. You just said she already knew about your feelings for Talia."

"But, John--"

"No but's. You won't be alone. And if you can't pull the trigger," he replies, pulling his own PPG smoothly, "I will. You just let me know if you hear the password."

I glower sullenly at him for another moment. When he predictably doesn't back down, a curt nod is all I can give him as I turn around to face the door. Counting down the final seconds to the rest of my destiny, I feel an odd sort of peace settling over me. No matter what happens when that door opens, I've chosen this path. Hell, it was chosen for me when I first met Talia Winters and let her into my heart all those years ago. I may have told Delenn that I thought I loved Talia then, but now I know I did, and still do.

  
_"thirty minutes, of bliss, thirty lies  
thirty minutes, to finally decide"_   


I don't even jump when the door chimes again. I simply take a deep breath and key the door to open. Taking a step back, I let her walk into the room. I'd rather this wasn't done in the hallway, particularly if this isn't the woman I want her to be. She hesitates on seeing John behind me, but still follows me in, stopping just inside the room. Staring at her, I'm not quite sure who this is. I don't think this is Control; she'd be far too angry at what happened to be this calm. But she's fooled me before; that thought bolsters my resolve and I raise my PPG toward her.

"Susan?"

The voice sounds right, but I still haven't heard what I need to hear. Jason's got about thirty more seconds to give me the password or I shoot. The sound of John's clothes rustling as he shifts slightly behind me is an oddly comforting one. With a concentrated effort, I lower my shields and wait, staring deeply into the hooded grey eyes.

My finger is actually starting to press the trigger. This can't be Talia. They must have been detected, and now Control is toying with me to see if I'll actually go through with it. Sadistic bitch!

 _~Suzotchka! Suzotchka, for God's sake! Suzotchka!~_

My hands are instantly up, finger pulling away from the trigger faster than I ever thought possible. Talia's face swims in front of me, a combination of faint relief and tears filling my eyes. Still she just stands there.

"Susan?" This time it's John saying my name.

I turn around long enough to toss my PPG at John, certain there's a dopey grin on my face, then pull Talia close. And all I can do is just cling to her, as if my life depended on it. And I guess it did, didn't it?


End file.
